Project Milwaukee: Great Lakes, Troubled Waters

With our proximity to Lake Michigan and world-class water research, why don't we have clean water?

In May of 2019, WUWM's Project Milwaukee series dove in to the topic of clean water, or the lack thereof, in southeastern Wisconsin.

WUWM reporters and Lake Effect producers worked together to examine the many issues surrounding clean water — from the health of our drinking water, emerging threats to our waterways, the impact unclean water has on our communities, and possible solutions.

Ways to Connect

Across Wisconsin, tens of thousands of people don’t trust the water that comes out of their tap — due to lead, agricultural runoff or industrial pollution.

To address water quality, there’s $70 million in Gov. Tony Evers’ budget and he's declared 2019 "the year of clean drinking water." However, some in the Republican state Legislature say too much of that money would go to Milwaukee to remove lead water lines, neglecting other areas of the state.